Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has triggered a fresh wave of controversy after claiming that certain northern politicians are deliberately sponsoring kidnappings and banditry to destabilise the country and pave the way for electoral victory in 2027.
The governor, while addressing stakeholders in Benin City on Friday, alleged that the strategy mirrors the insecurity allegedly orchestrated to undermine former President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of the 2015 elections.
Here Is What He Wrote On His Official X Handle
He insisted that the current surge in abductions is politically motivated rather than purely criminal.His statement quickly attracted a strong rebuttal from Kano-based social commentator and activist, Mahdi Shehu.
In a viral post on X, Shehu labelled the governor’s remarks “reckless and divisive,” stressing that serious crimes such as kidnapping, armed robbery, internet fraud, and drug trafficking are perpetrated by individuals from every region of Nigeria.
Shehu argued that attributing insecurity to one section of the country only deepens ethnic mistrust and distracts from the collective fight against crime.
He called on political leaders to promote national unity instead of making inflammatory regional accusations.
The exchange has reignited online debates about the politicisation of Nigeria’s security challenges, with many citizens expressing concern over escalating tensions ahead of the 2027 polls. View, More,
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